Cabinet formed of grooved and folded laminated panels



Oct. 14,1969 Y L.E.HIMELREICH 3,472,571

CABINET FORMED OF GROOVED AND FOLDED LAMINATED PANELS Filed Aug. 24, 1967 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENT'OR LOLHS E. \-\\MELREICH ATTORNEY Oct. 14, 1969 E. HIMELREICH 3,472,511

CABINET FORMED OF GROOVED AND FOLDED LAMINATED PANELS Filed Aug. 24, 1967 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR LOLHS E. H\MELRE\CH ATTORNEY United States Patent 3,472,571 CABINET FORMED OF GROOVED AND FOLDED LAMINATED PANELS Louis E. Himelreich, Louisville, Ky., assignor to H. J.

Schirich Company, Louisville, Ky., a corporation of Kentucky Filed Aug. 24, 1967, Ser. No. 662,936 Int. Cl. A471) 43/00; B65d 9/30 US. Cl. 312259 9 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A cabinet with a front frame formed of folded edges of laminated, interiorly grooved panels and with reinforced corners. The thin and weaker ornamental lamination of the panels covers the exposed frame and the thicker lamination of the panels provides the strength for supporting the contents of the cabinet, for mounting the cabinet on a wall, and for mounting a door on the frame.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Field of the invention The invention pertains to cabinets especially suitable for use in kitchens and adapted to be supported against a wall. Laminated stock material having an ornamental layer, which is visible in the finished cabinet, and so interfitted as to provide reinforced corners of the cabinet comprises an important feature of the invention.

Description of the prior art The use of laminated stock materials employing grooving and folding techniques has been employed in making table tops as exemplified by the Clements Patent No. 2,149,882 and in making containers as shown by the Zalkind Patent No. 2,274,765. Structures of this type, however, do not involve the problems found in the manufacture of cabinets of the present type wherein heavy loadings of dishes, or other objects may be expected and wherein a pleasing appearance of the cabinet is generally considered important. Such cabinets, for example, are usually equipped with a door, and the geometry of the cabinet size, of the door, and of the door framing is a significant factor. Moreover, the corner construction of the cabinet elements and the manner in which the cabinet is to be mounted upon a wall present additional problems of the type which it is a purpose of the present invention to overcome.

SUMMARY The invention relates to a cabinet having side walls, a top, a bottom, and a rear wall and in which a door framing is formed by folded portions of the respective side walls, top and bottom. The top and bottom portions of the cabinet are cut away at their front corners so as to embrace the stiles of the door framing and the several parts of the cabinet are attached to each other, as by adhesives, to form a structure which is reinforced at each corner. The stock material for the cabinet, with the possible exception of the rear Wall, comprises a sheet having a relatively thin, easily bendable first lamination of ornamental material, such as vinyl, and a relatively thick second lamination of a different material, such as composition board.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING The objects of the invention will be more apparent when considered in conjunction with the following description and with respect to the accompanying drawings in which:

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FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a cabinet embodying the invention, and with parts broken away.

FIG. 2 is a sectional view taken on line 2-2 of FIG. 1 and with the door removed.

FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken on line 33 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 is a top plan view of the cabinet.

FIG. 5 is a developed view of a side panel portion showing the grooved second lamination. v

FIG. 6 is a sectional view to a larger scale taken on line 6-6 of FIG. 5.

FIG. 7 is developed view of a bottom panel showing the grooved second lamination and indicating the location of a hinging tape.

FIG. 8 is a sectional view to a larger scale taken on line 8-8 of FIG. 7.

FIG. 8A is an end view of the bottom panel of FIG. 7 folded in readiness for assembly into the cabinet, and

FIG. 9 is an end view of an alternative form of bottom panel folded in readiness for assembly into the cabinet.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring first to FIGS. 2 to 4, the cabinet comprises a pair of side walls 10 and 11, a top 12, a bottom 13, and preferably, but not necessarily, a rear wall member 14. As will later appear, the side Wall 10 is suitably folded at its front vertical edge to provide the stile 15 of the front framing of the cabinet and the side wall 11 is folded to provide the other stile 16. In addition, the top 12 is suitably folded at its front horizontal edge to provide the rail 17 of the front framing and the bottom 13 is folded at its front horizontal edge to provide the other rail 18. The resulting rectangular shaped front framing has the appearance of solid sections and its dimensions may be varied merely by choice of the location of the grooving in the stock material, as later to be described. When a closed cabinet is to be produced, a suitable door 19 having a handle 20 may be mounted on the framing as by means of hinges 21 and 22. The width of stile 15 is not less than twice the thickness of the side wall, and is such that ample space is present for mounting such hinges withoutdamaging the laminations of side wall 10.

Referring now to FIGS. 5 and 6, a typical side panel is shown and which will be described as the panel for side 10 although by inverting the same it also may serve for side 11. The stock sheet material for such panel comprises an outer layer 30 of vinvyl or similar plastic printed to disclose a wood-like grain and having a suitable thickness, for example about 0.003 inch. This first lamination is bonded to a layer 31 of different material, such as plywood, fiberwood, composition board or the like which has a much greater thickness, for example, about 0.375 inch. By relative movement between the rectangular shaped sheet and a suitable grooving or rabbeting apparatus, a miter groove 32 is formed in the second lamination but without rupturing the first lamination. This groove extends parallel to but inboard of one edge of the sheet leaving an elongated tab which forms a rear flange 33 when the cabinet is assembled.

By a similar operation a groove 34 is formed parallel to and inboard of the other edge of the sheet leaving a tab 35 which is to form an inner section of stile 15. Adjacent the groove 34, a similar groove 36 is formed leaving a triangular strip 37 which is to form the end section of that stile and still farther inboard of this sheet another groove 38 is formed leaving a strip 39 which is to form the outer section of that stile.

Along the top and transversely of the sheet a similar groove 40 is formed leaving a tab 41 and adjacent this groove a similar groove a similar groove 42 is formed leaving a triangular strip 43. The intersection of grooves 40, 42 with the previously described flange 33 and strip 39 defines triangular projections 44 and 45 respectively. By means of a suitable blanking operation the respective upper corners of the sheet are then cut away to leave projection 44 attached only to the strip 43 by its first lamination and to leave projection 45 attached only to the strip 39 by its first lamination.

Similarly, along the bottom and transversely of the sheet grooves 46 and 47 are formed with a triangular strip 48 therebetween, and projections 49 and 50 are formed in the manner above described. The tab 51 outboard of groove 46 meanwhile corresponds to the tab 41 at the other end of the panel. With the sheet thus prepared, adhesive is placed in the several grooves and the sheet then is folded and held until the adhesive has set. As will be seen in FIGS. 3 and 4, when the thus prepared side panel is assembled in the cabinet the folded lower tab 51 and strip 48 in conjunction with the body of the panel constitutes a lower rail along the side of the cabinet and with an elevated supporting ledge on which the bottom of the cabinet may rest. Likewise, the folded upper tab 41 and strip 43 in conjunction with the body of the panel constitutes an upper rail along the side of the cabinet and with a depending supporting ledge against which the top of the cabinet may abut.

Referring now to FIGS. 7 and 8, typical panel which can serve either as the top or the bottom for the cabinet is shown, and which will be described as the bottom. The stock sheet material preferably is the same as employed for the cabinet sides, but may have a thickness different from the cabinet sides. A 90 miter groove 60 is formed in the second lamination 61 without rupturing the first lamination 62 and is located inboard of the edge of the sheet a suitable distance to provide the tab 63 which is to form an inner section of rail 18. Adjacent the groove 60 a similar groove 64 is formed leaving a triangular strip 65 which is to form the end section of that rail, and farther inboard of this sheet another groove 66 is formed leaving a strip 67 which is to form the outer section of that rail. Since the rail is not to have a cabinet door hinged thereto, and for purpose of more pleasing geometry, the width of strip 67 normally is somewhat less than the width of the strip 39 forming the outer section of the stile of the cabinet front frame. In a preferred arrangement to be used with cabinets having the back wall member 14, a backing strip 68 of tough, flexible material is adhered to the second lamination of the sheet adjacent the rear edge thereof and a 90 groove 69 is formed in both the first and second laminations, but without rupturing the strip 68, thus leaving a flange 70. Adhesive is placed in the grooves and the sheet is then folded into the shape indicated in FIG. 8A. After the adhesive has set, the respective corner portions of the bottom panel are then cut away and the same is ready for assembly into a cabinet. The top of the cabinet is formed in similar fashion. As an alternative, however, the flange 70 may be omitted from the top and bottom, or when a back member is to be interposed between the flanges and a wall rather than interiorly of the flanges, the top and bottom may have the configuration indicated in FIG. 9 in which event the groove 69 would be only in the second lamination of the sheet similar to its companion grooves.

Considering now FIGS. 2 and 4, when the described top and bottom are assembled into the cabinet the following significant features dealing with reinforced corners of the cabinet will be noted. The shoulders 71, 72 and 73, 74 of the cutaway front corner portions of the top and bottom abut against and embrace the stiles and 16 respectively. Also the shoulders 75, 76 and 77, 78 of the cutaway rear corners of the top and bottom abut against and embrace the flanges 33 extending normally from the side walls at the rear corners of the cabinet. Moreover the side edges 79, 80 of the top and of the bottom are adhesively secured to the inner surfaces of those side Walls. As will be understood, the lower surface of the bottom rests in contact with the upwardly facing ledges of the side walls and the upper surface of the top rests in contact with the downwardly facing ledges of those side walls.

The cabinet normally will be used at an elevation at which the lower rail 18 is visible and in order to complete the front lower corners of the front frame, the projections 50 of the side walls are folded upwardly and adhesively secured in the corresponding spaces at the lower ends of the stiles 15 and 16 during the fabrication of those side walls. Likewise, the projections 49 are folded upwardly and adhesively secured in place in the corresponding spaces at the rear lower corners below the flanges 33. Projections 44 and 45 are similarly secured in place.

As will be noted, the described construction is sufficiently strong without requiring the back wall member 14 and when the surface of the wall upon which the cabinet is to be mounted presents an attractive appearance it is contemplated that for reasons of economy the back wall member may be omitted without departing from the invention. In such case suitable screws or other fastening means 81 may be passed through the flanges 33 of the side walls and into the stationary wall on which the cabinet is to be mounted.

It is preferred, however, to employ the flat back wall member 14 which may be of any suitable structural material and when so employed it may be located either interiorly of the respective flanges or be located between such flanges and the stationary wall. The former alternative is preferred and wherein the lower edge of the wall member 14 rests upon the bottom of the cabinet and the upper edge thereof supports the top of the cabinet. Fastening means 82 in this arrangement (FIG. 3) pass through both the wall member 14 and the flanges.

Shelves (not shown) may be employed with the cabinet and may comprise the laminated material or other material. When the laminated material is employed, it preferably is grooved and folded at the front edge of the shelf in order to avoid disclosing a cut section of such material. A series of holes 83 (FIG. 5) is provided in the second lamination of the two side walls for receiving brackets or the like on which shelves may be supported.

Various modifications of the cabinet construction may be employed without departing from the invention. For example, by appropriate grooving and folding technique, the two side panels and the top may be formed of one piece of material, and together with a separate bottom piece, such as disclosed, can be fabricated into a cabinet having the above'described"characteristics. Preferably, the thicknessof the stiles and rails of the front frame are substantially equal and each of the stiles and rails comprise essentially the three discrete sections of the second lamination which provide the necessary strength for the cabinet loadings.

Moreover, without departing from: the invention a stock sheet material having laminations similar to that shown at 30 and 62, but arranged on both faces of the sheet may be employed. If preferred, a suitable finish coating may be used on the side of the sheet opposite the lamination 30 or 62 and of a material different from that of the first lamination.

What is claimed is:

1. A cabinet comprising side walls, a top and a bottom, each of which is formed of a relatively thin, readily bendable first lamination of material attached to a relatively thick second lamination of a different material, said top and said bottom having cutaway front corner portions, said side walls being grooved in said second lamination thereof and folded at their front vertical edges to close the grooving and toform solid flanges having an adhesively secured double thickness of the wall materials extending normally to said side walls thereby to provide stiles of a front frame for said cabinet, said top and said bottom being grooved in said second lamination thereof and folded at their front horizontal edges to close the grooving and to form solid flanges having an adhesively secured double thickness of the top and the bottom materials extending normally to the respective top and bottom thereby to provide rails of said front frame, and means for securing said top and said bottom to said side walls and with the cutaway portions in embracing relatlon to said double thickness stiles thereby to provide reinforced front corners for said cabinet.

2. A cabinet as defined in claim 1 wherein said side walls are grooved in said second lamination and folded adjacent their rear vertical edges to provide flanges extending normally to the planes of said side walls, said flanges being adapted to receive fastening means for mounting of said cabinet upon a wall.

3. A cabinet as defined in claim 1 wherein said side walls are grooved in said second lamination thereof and folded adjacent their lower horizontal edges to provide elevated supporting ledges, said bottom having its side edges resting upon said ledges and attached to said side walls.

4. A cabinet as defined in claim 1 wherein said side walls are grooved in said second lamination thereof and folded adjacent their upper horizontal edges to provide depending ledges, said top abutting against said ledges and having its side edges attached to said side walls.

5. A cabinet as defined in claim 1 wherein each of said stiles and each of said rails comprises essentially a fold of three discrete sections of the second lamination of the respective side walls, top and bottom.

6. A cabinet as defined in claim 5 wherein the thickness of said stiles is substantially equal to the thickness of said rails.

7. A cabinet as defined in claim 1 wherein said stiles have a width not less than twice the thickness of said side walls thereby to provide space for mounting of door hinges on said stiles and without weakening of said side walls.

8. A cabinet comprising side walls, a top and a bottom, each of which is formed of a relatively thin, readily bendable first lamination of material attached to a relatively thick second lamination of a different material, a flat rear wall member, said top and said bottom having cutaway front corner portions, said side walls being grooved in said second lamination thereof and folded at their front vertical edges to provide stiles of a front frame for said cabinet, said top and said bottom being grooved in said second lamination thereof and folded at their front horizontal edges to provide rails of said front frame, said side walls being grooved in said second lamination thereof adjacent the rear edges thereof and folded at their rear edges to provide a pair of flanges normal to said side walls and facing each other, said rear wall member resting against said flanges and adapted to receive a fastening means passing through said rear wall member and said flanges for mounting of said cabinet upon a wall, and means for securing said top and said bottom to said side walls and with said cutaway portions in embracing relation to said stiles thereby to provide reinforced front corners for said cabinet.

9. A cabinet as defined in claim 8 wherein said top and said bottom have cutaway rear corner portions adapted to embrace said flanges and to aid in reinforcing the rear corners of said cabinet.

References Cited 

